Oklahoma State Out-Recruiting the Big 12, But Will it Hold?

It’s been a monstrous week for Oklahoma State on the recruiting trail, landing two big names in four-star receiver C.J. Moore and three-star offensive lineman Tyrese Williams, who says he’ll play center for the Cowboys.

OSU’s 2018 class has jumped quickly up to 10 members as the summer approaches, and that number could see more added to it before the football season begins and scholarship spots at OSU and elsewhere begin to fill up.

As the summer nears, Oklahoma State’s recruiting class — (sit down, please, because you might not actually believe this) — ranks first in the Big 12.

Yes, first. As in the top.

It’s one of the hottest starts Gundy and his staff have ignited to a recruiting class. We’ll get into more about where it ranks nationally this week, but the top of the Big 12 isn’t a bad place to be. The question is: can OSU keep it up? Or is it fool’s gold? And where does the rest of the Big 12 sit? Gather ’round and let’s take a look.

As you can see at the top, trailing OSU is Baylor and Texas and yes, even Kansas! Baylor has 10 commitments, the same number as OSU. And the Bears are doing it Mike Gundy style: highly touted three-star recruits with a four-star in the mix. Matt Rhule and his staff still have a big recruiting base in Waco, despite the happenings at the university and the fallout from the Art Briles era.

Texas, which only has six commitments, is barely trailing the top two slots — showing the value of higher-rated recruits with four four-stars currently committed to the new Longhorns regime.

Similarly, the Sooners are recruiting at an elite level. Had it not been for a rash of de-commitments of late, the Sooners would be challenging for the top spot. They have one five-star, a four-star, and four four-stars committed. Just six commitments, mind you, but as a whole the recruits are rated higher. That’s after they lost their top-rated QB to the Longhorns, too.

While OSU’s class is off to a hot start, it may be little more than just that. Unless Oklahoma State can continue to haul in four-star prospects over OU and Ohio State, which they’ve done of late, its overall class ranking is likely to fall as OU and Texas continue to recruit big name prospects and climb up the board until national signing day.

Looking ahead to the summer OSU already has all the key pieces it needs at quarterback and a solid start at wide receiver. These positions currently house both of OSU’s highest rated recruits (CJ Moore and Spencer Sanders).

But the No. 1 ranking in the Big 12 isn’t likely to hold through signing day.

In this case, the No. 1 ranking has more to do with volume than overall ranking. The number of commitments is a big reason why the Pokes have taken over the top spot and also a reason it likely won’t hold as the class of 2018 is rounded out.